Bali's residents and tourists will be blocked from social media for an entire day as the province observes an annual religious holiday.

Indonesia's telecommunication providers have agreed to disable mobile internet for a 24-hour period for the Day of Silence, also known as Nyepi, which will take place on the predominantly Hindu island this Saturday (March 17).

Nyoman Sujaya, an official for Indonesia's Ministry of Communication, has confirmed that phone users will not be able to access apps like Instagram and Facebook from 6am on Saturday until the following morning.

"Wi-Fi at hotels, public services and vital objects such as airports, hospitals, security forces and banking still can run normally but with minimal use such as emails," he said.

The public holiday, which marks the start of the Hindu New Year, requires islanders to engage in a period of self-reflection and is strictly enforced across the island as shops, bars and other non-essential services are shut for the day.

Lighting of fires and loud noises are strongly discouraged and the island's only airport is forced to shut. Non-Hindus and tourist are also required to observe the occasion and are forced to keep noise to a minimum or risk falling foul of local law enforcement.

"Let's rest a day, free from the internet to feel the calm of the mind," Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, head of the Indonesian Hinduism Society, told AP. "Many Hindu people are addicted to gadgets," he said. "I hope during Nyepi they can be introspective."

Nyepi beliefs state that evil spirits lurk outside during the new year but can be warded off by staying indoors. The holiday is also observed in India as Ugadi and typically falls on March or April in the Gregorian calendar.

Balinese carry an Ogoh-ogoh effigy, symbolizing the evil spirit, during a ritual ahead of Nyepi day in Ubud Gianyar, Bali March 21, 2012. Nyepi is a day of silence to celebrate the Balinese new year, reserved for self-reflection, where people are not allowed to use lights, light fires, work, travel nor enjoy entertainment. During Nyepi, the airport in Bali also remains closed. The only people who are allowed on the streets are the Pecalang, traditional security officials who patrol the streets to ensure that the prohibitions are being followed.Reuters